Sacrifice is essential to all religions. Could there be a natural, even biological, reason? Why are sacrifice and numerous other religious rituals and concepts shared by so many different cultures? In this extraordinary book, one of the world's leading authorities on ancient religions explores the possibility of natural religion.

Preface Culture in a Landscape: Situating Religion Beyond Culture Sociobiology? A Common World: Reduction and Validation Escape and Offerings Finger Sacrifice Biology, Fantasy, and Ritual Castration and Circumcision Scapegoats Life for Life The Core of a Tale ''Caught up in Tales'' The Propp Sequence: The Quest From Biological Programs to Semantic Chains The Shaman's Tale The Initiation Tale: The Maiden's Tragedy Hierarchy The Awareness of Rank Rituals of Submission The Strategy of Praise Two-Tiered Power The Language of Power: The Envoy Guilt and Causality Religious Therapy and the Search for Guilt Present Sufferings The Foundation of Cults The Mediators: Risks and Opportunities Explanatory Models: Fetters, Wrath, Pollution The Reciprocity of Giving Le don in Perspective Giving in Religion Genealogy of Morality? Failing Reciprocity: Religious Criticism Failing Reciprocity: The Facts of Ritual Gift and Sacrifice Aversion and Offerings: From Panic to Stability The Validation of Signs: A Cosmos of Sense Accepting Signs: Divination Decision through Signs: The Ordeal Creating Signs: Territory and Body Language Validated: The Oath Conclusion Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index

Sacrifice is essential to all religions. Could there be a natural, even biological, reason? Why are sacrifice and numerous other religious rituals and concepts shared by so many different cultures? In this extraordinary book, one of the world's leading authorities on ancient religions explores the possibility of natural religion.

Table of Contents

Preface Culture in a Landscape: Situating Religion Beyond Culture Sociobiology? A Common World: Reduction and Validation Escape and Offerings Finger Sacrifice Biology, Fantasy, and Ritual Castration and Circumcision Scapegoats Life for Life The Core of a Tale ''Caught up in Tales'' The Propp Sequence: The Quest From Biological Programs to Semantic Chains The Shaman's Tale The Initiation Tale: The Maiden's Tragedy Hierarchy The Awareness of Rank Rituals of Submission The Strategy of Praise Two-Tiered Power The Language of Power: The Envoy Guilt and Causality Religious Therapy and the Search for Guilt Present Sufferings The Foundation of Cults The Mediators: Risks and Opportunities Explanatory Models: Fetters, Wrath, Pollution The Reciprocity of Giving Le don in Perspective Giving in Religion Genealogy of Morality? Failing Reciprocity: Religious Criticism Failing Reciprocity: The Facts of Ritual Gift and Sacrifice Aversion and Offerings: From Panic to Stability The Validation of Signs: A Cosmos of Sense Accepting Signs: Divination Decision through Signs: The Ordeal Creating Signs: Territory and Body Language Validated: The Oath Conclusion Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index